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| ICA campers continue to impress as the virtual camp closes week 5. Starting the week with a celebration of International Chess Day, the camp was once again a week filled with fun, growth and of course some friendly competition. The week even included two birthdays – happy birthday again to Stefan and Sammy G! Tactics solving and game analyses remain a core feature of the morning lessons. Coaches reported back that campers showed improvement within the week, and that our returning campers have demonstrated great retention and growth from earlier weeks. Campers in Coach Sean’s group compared different modes of analysis when approaching different types of problems, alternating their focus between endgame tactics and middle game tactics. Special attention was paid during game analyses toward identifying the imbalances in a given position, and how an understanding of these imbalances can dictate the right plan going forward. A favorite game of the week was another epic battle by GM Nakamura who once again deployed the King’s Indian Defense, this time against GM Wesley So. Geoffrey impressed the coach by recalling the subtle Rook to f7 played by Nakamura in an earlier game against GM Gelfand – an idea first played before Nakamura was ever born. Mark showcased some great tactics in some of his own games as well, but it was Geoffrey who ultimately claimed the best-in- group prize. |
The tournament once again provided great competition, a testing ground for ideas, and memorable games to analyze in lessons. Stefan won the top section with a commanding performance, despite playing much quicker than recommended. It is worth reminding not just Stefan’s opponents, but all campers, that chess players do not need to try and match their opponent’s speed just because their opponent is playing quickly! In the blitz tournament (where speed is encouraged!) Justin stood out with an impressive victory against tough opponents. In Art Class, campers took on exciting but more challenging projects, and Erica was happy to report that the class rose to the challenge. Campers learned about the history of portraits, different artistic interpretations of the human face, and even drew their own self-portraits! Erica was particularly impressed when campers recognized varying artists in discussion, including Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo. The class also explored the history of film, focusing on the very first movies produced in the world through the use of motion photography. Campers then made their own “motion- pictures” by creating flip-books, consisting of hand-drawn photographs that produce the illusion of movement when flipped quickly. Coaches and teachers continue to praise the work ethic and camaraderie demonstrated in class and we look forward to more fun and growth next week! |
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